Fraggle Rock Fan-Fiction: Perfect Harmony

Good morning everybody! I'm getting ready to head off to school, but I figured I'd go ahead and start up my next fan-fictional adventure before hand, since I'll have a butt-load of homework after. Anyway! I'm starting my fan-fic on the morning of September 11th in honor of the Fraggle Rock Season 3 box-set's release today, and also in memory of this solemn day. I hope you all enjoy my story!

Perfect HarmonyChapter 1

The door to the bright and cluttered desert workshop opened. A furry grey dog’s eye peeked open at the entrant of the workshop. A tall, balding man wearing glasses and a sweater vest and carrying a large cardboard box pushed his way into the small living space.

"Sprocket, boy, get the door would you?" Doc asked his dog, Sprocket.

The aforementioned pooch grumbled and stuck out one of his back feet trying to reach the door.

"Come now, Sprocket," Doc said, closing the door on his own. "You try this same thing every day, you can’t reach the door from your bed."

Sprocket, oh so pleased with himself, chuckled lightly and repositioned himself in his bed.

"Heaven forbid you actually do anything to help out around here," Doc chided as he pulled out many random objects from his cardboard box.

Sprocket barked at Doc as the dog shot up out of his bed, arguing that he did indeed help out around here, but even dogs need to rest sometimes.

"Oh, forgive me, Sprockey," Doc said sarcastically. "I forgot about how much you do to contribute."

Sprocket nodded happily.

"After all it is you who creates all of these inventions–" Doc said, throwing his arms at his side, motioning to the clutter of things scattered around the workshop. "And cooks the meals, and visits Ned and Fluffenella on a weekly basis."

Sprocket frowned and began to argue his case through barks again.
"Alright, alright, Sprocket, that’s enough," Doc said. "By the way, has Gobo stopped by today?"

Sprocket muttered a few barks and fell down into his bed. He silently shook his head, and resumed his nap position.

"Funny," Doc said. "I thought he’d stop by in search of one of his Uncle Matt’s postcards– good thing we finally figured out who all of those were addressed to, eh, Sprocket?" Doc asked his dog.

Sprocket shrugged and rolled over.

"Yes, well," Doc said, "It’s not like we’ve received any of those postcards lately." Doc reached into his box and pulled out a hair-dryer. "I wonder what’s been keeping that uncle of his anyway? It must be, what? Two–three weeks since his last postcard?"

Wembley scratched his head. It was amazing watching those two argue. In all the Rock, Red and Gobo were definitely the two most confrontational Fraggles, if only just between each other.

"Now where is Wembley?" Gobo asked himself. "I told him he could come with me to see Doc today, and get Uncle Traveling Matt’s postcard."

"Uh, Gobo, I’m right here," Wembley said.

Gobo looked at his best friend. "Oh. Sorry," Gobo apologized. "You just pop up out of nowhere, don’t ya Wembley?"

"No, not really," Wembley said. "I’ve been here all-"

"No matter," Gobo said. "Ready to go see Doc?"

"Well, sure Gobo, but-"

"Great! C’mon! I’ve got to tell Doc all about the game that I won." Gobo grabbed his guitar off the ledge and ran out of the room.

Wembley shrugged. "I guess I’ll just tell him about Cantus’ big visit later." He ran out of the room. "Hey, Gobo! Wait up!" he called.

Gobo was nearly halfway down the cavern leading up to Doc’s workshop. "Hurry up, will ya?" Gobo said.

Wembley caught up to his friend, gasping for breath. "Sorry," Wembley said.

"It’s alright Wembley," Gobo said, pulling his guitar over his shoulders. "Ya know," Gobo said. "Uncle Matt and I used to sing his song every time we’d explore the tunnels together."

"Yeah, I know," Wembley said. "You tell me it every time we explore the tunnels together."

"Oh yeah." Gobo laughed. "You don’t mind singing it again, do ya?"

"No Gobo, of course not," Wembley said. "I’m a Fraggle, there isn’t a song out there that I can’t sing over and over and over and-"

"I get it Wembley, I get it." Gobo smirked. He began to strum his guitar, plucking the familiar strings to the same familiar tune. "Every day, the world begins againSunny skies or rainCome and follow me," Gobo sang.

Wembley bounced along with the music. "Every sunrise shows me more and moreSo much to exploreCome and follow me!"

Gobo stopped his guitar and listened to the noises echoing of the cavern walls. It was faint, but, yes, it was there. A horn of sorts- no, a pipe. A pipe filling the cavern, filling the Rock with its melodious tune.

"I do Wembley! I do!" Gobo bounced gleefully. "You know what this means?"

"That I’ll never get to tell you that Cantus is coming to visit?" Wembley asked.

"No- well, yes, I guess, but it means that Cantus is-"

"Waiting for you to continue that song," a scratchy, yet comforting voice said from behind Gobo. An impeccable calm could be detected just from the tone of voice, and a serene quality filled the air whenever the voice spoke. Cantus had arrived.

"Me?" Gobo asked, in awe of the presence before him.

"Yes, you and yourself must finish that song," Cantus the Minstrel said to the young Fraggle.

"Oh, of course." Gobo picked up the tune again on his guitar. "Now, uh, where was I?"

"While the sun goes ‘roundI’ll still be found," Wembley sang, starting to finish.

Cantus dug in on his pipe, filling the air with the beautiful sound once more. As he played, the rest of the Minstrels filed into the cavern, each adding their own instrument to the song.

Gobo grinned. "Followin’ the sound
Somethin’s callin’ me."

"When the world goes Drifitin’ back to bedMemories in my head," Wembley sang.

"Wonders follow me," Gobo sang, putting all his heart into the verse.

"Every mornin’." Every Minstrel joined in the singing.
"Every dayEvery evenin’ Callin’ us away."

"Once more," Cantus said.

"Every mornin’Every dayEvery evenin’ Callin’ us away."

Cantus watched as the two Fraggles and his Minstrel followers celebrated the song by jumping and laughing. The forever-serene Fraggle simply nodded and said, "Very nice. Another song I love to hear others love to hear."

Gobo walked up to Cantus calmly. "Thank you sir. But, if I may ask, why are you coming to visit us?"

"Yeah," Wembley said. "You only come on really special occasions."

"Mm." Cantus stroked his beard. "I cannot argue with that. Nor can I say that this occasion is an exception. However, I can say that this is an exceptional occasion. Soon enough, you will find out enough. For now I must meet with the World’s Oldest Fraggle."

"Oh, wow!" Wembley said. "It must be a really, really special occasion!"

"Yeah, now all that’s missing is the Trash Heap and we’d have gathered the greatest minds in the Fraggle universe!" Gobo said.

"That, or the strangest," Murray the Minstrel said, laughing.

"Do not doubt the strange," Cantus gently scolded his follower. "Do not fear the strange either. Nor should you fear to doubt the strange."

Murray looked around at the other Minstrels. "See what I mean?"

"Young Gobo Fraggle, take me to see the World’s Oldest, if you please," Cantus said.

AHHHHH! A Fraggle Fic by Prawnie! This is a great start too! You've got everyone right in character, LOVE the confrontation between Red and Gobo. And I'm on the edge of my seat wondering what Cantus' big visit is all about! This is awesome! More please!

Shaa... (Yes, I know it's your word Prawnidew). Since when have we let homework stand in the way of nagging? And since when have we let homework stand in the way of driving you crazy?
Like that half of yourn keeps sayin'... Moooore please!

Mokey Fraggle was spread out on her bed on her stomach, carefully scribing something into a diary. She let out a happy sigh as she wrote. "I just love peaceful moments like this everything seems so calm and tranquil, peaceful and–"

"Mokey! Mokey! Mokey! Mokey! Mokey!" Red shouted as she sprinted into the cave.

Mokey smiled and turned her head towards the noise. "Oh, Red, hello!"

"Mokey, you’ll never guess what I just saw!" Red said.

"Hmm," Mokey pondered. "Boober having fun on purpose?"

"No, that’s silly," Red said. "But I did just see Gobo and Wembley with Cantus and all the Minstrels!"

Mokey smirked. "Oh, Red," Mokey said. "We all know that if Cantus was here, we would be having a really special occasion."

"Well maybe he’s here to see my rematch with Gobo!" Red said. "Which reminds me, I need you to judge."

Mokey was interrupted by the bellowing of the Fraggle Horn from the Great Hall. "Well what could that be?" Mokey asked, walking over to the large hole in she and Red’s cave that looked down upon the Great Hall. "Why, it’s Cantus with the World’s Oldest Fraggle!" Mokey said. "Red, come on, this must be really important!" Mokey ran past Red, right out of the cave.

Red rolled her eyes. "Just perfect..."

Red caught up to Mokey as the two approached the Great Hall. "So what do you think the big important announcement could be, Mokey?" Red asked.

"Probably something exciting and fun," Boober groaned, walking up next to the two girls. "Which of course will be miserable."

The World’s Oldest Fraggle and Henchy slipped out of the way as Cantus slowly walked to the center. The Fraggles cheered and waved their arms about as the Minstrel prepared to address them. Cantus simply nodded in recognition of the cheering, and patiently waited for them to calm.

The cheering and whooping stopped, and Cantus smiled. "Fellow Fraggles," Cantus said calmly. "It is true that I have an announcement for you all," he said. "Not necessarily a good announcement, however."

The Fraggles began to murmur and whisper to each other, but Cantus pressed on. "In my travels I have many times met with mystical oracles that both mystify and orafy me."

"Is orafy a word?" Gobo whispered to Wembley.

"These oracles," Cantus continued, uninterrupted. "Have given me a cause to worry about the sanctity of our splendid Rock."

Murmurs began to trickle out again and Cantus continued on. "They have warned me that something will break the peace we have to pieces." Cantus looked down at the Fraggles. "Unfortunately, I do not know what we can do to prevent this tragedy nor can I have any idea when this will happen."

The Fraggles couldn’t hold it in any longer, they erupted with questions for the minstrel. The World’s Oldest Fraggle looked to Henchy, "Well, say something ya ninny!" he said.

"Uh, yes sir!" Henchy said, running to the center of the stage. "Calm down! Calm down! I’m sure the World’s Oldest Fraggle has a solution to this problem, whatever it may be! Isn’t that right sir?"

Cantus slowly turned his head to look at World’s Oldest. "The oracle I spoke to was the Trash Heap."

Every Fraggle within the Great Hall began shouting again. "Wh-wh- The Trash Heap said th-that?" Wembley shuddered.

"Oh doom! Misery!" Boober shouted. "Alack the day!" He turned to Red. "I told you the world was coming to an end!"

"What are we going to do?" Mokey wondered aloud.

Gobo looked around at the freaking-out Fraggles. He took a deep breath and ran up to address the Fraggles. "Hey! Hey!" Gobo shouted. "We can’t jump to conclusions like this!" he said. "My Uncle Matt wouldn’t! We’ve got to take this slow and easy, right Cantus?"

Cantus looked down at Gobo. "Young Fraggle, it seems that you doubt my words. Words may be doubtful, but some words are true. True?"
"Um, yes?" Gobo said.

Cantus nodded. "Then go to your Trash Heap, ask her of this predicament, and you shall learn how to learn the lesson you must soon learn."

"Um, thank you your sageliness," Gobo said to the minstrel. He looked over to Mokey, Wembley, Boober, and Red. "C’mon you guys," he said.

The Fraggle Five made their way out of the Great Hall, leaving the rest of the Fraggles to worry over the news Cantus had just delivered.

Crouching in an awning on looking the Great Hall sat Cotterpin Doozer.
"Wow..." Cotterpin said. "The Rock peace of The Rock is going to pieces? I’ve gotta tell the Architect about this!"

Cotterpin jumped up and ran over to her bike. She rode off through the caverns past many Doozer construction sites. At one of the sites, Wrench Doozer was constructing a tower. "Hi Cotterpin!" he said to his friend on her bike. "Where are you going?"

The heap of trash rumbled and began to rise from the ground. It slowly developed eyes and a mouth. Arms stretched out to both sides of the now-tall heap, a yawn exuded from trash and it looked down at the Fraggles through a pair of frame less, dignified pink glasses. "Ooh, what a good sleep! You never know how comfy a bed of trash is until you sleep on one!" Marjorie the Trash Heap said. "Now, what can I do for you my little Fraggles?"

An admirable beginning my prawny fellow... But the beginning is only the beginning to an end... To which you must endeavor to end. So soothe the chapters and ease the tale's troubled mind by posting whatever's to come and what will come will come to you and me.

Ah, my young fanfic writer... The girl known of many minds and yet her minds are many and multiplied divided on the stories that have yet to be told, aching to tell themselves to her for her to tell them to us.
Yes... Channeling the spirit of Cantus is my intention, but is his intention not to channel himself into us and into the music as well? But his lesson has served well, as you have listened for Cantus in my first step, and listening for Cantus is the last step. If only Prawny were to learn that lesson and listen to Cantus to post more story, then Cantus would've been listened to well, and would love to listen himself.

Ah, my young fanfic writer... The girl known of many minds and yet her minds are many and multiplied divided on the stories that have yet to be told, aching to tell themselves to her for her to tell them to us.
Yes... Channeling the spirit of Cantus is my intention, but is his intention not to channel himself into us and into the music as well? But his lesson has served well, as you have listened for Cantus in my first step, and listening for Cantus is the last step. If only Prawny were to learn that lesson and listen to Cantus to post more story, then Cantus would've been listened to well, and would love to listen himself.

Architect Doozer shook his head and sighed. "Cotterpin get back to work and get your mind off of those Fraggles!"

Cotterpin nodded. "Yes sir..." She hopped back on top of her bike and started to ride away. "I’ll show him..." she mumbled. "I’ll prove that there really is something going on. Now where are those Fraggles?"

Red’s face scrunched up. "What Red means Madame Heap-" Mokey said. "Is that it does seem a bit strange and unstructured to not know the answers. I mean, you’ve always known the answers before."

"Strange?" Philo asked.

"Unstructured?" Gunge asked.

"My dear Fraggles!" Marjorie said. "This is how I live! I mean, do you expect me to alphabetize my trash here?"

"I would..." Boober said.

"Life is meant to be unstructured and strange! But still, you’ve got to keep the natural order and learn to cooperate." Marjorie said. "Now boys."

"The Trash Heap has spoken!" Philo and Gunge said as Marjorie submerged back into the mound of trash.

The Fraggle Five looked at each other. "We were supposed to draw deeper meaning from that?" Gobo asked.

"Don’t ask us," Philo said.

"Yeah, we just work here," added Gunge.

>< >< >< >< ><

Pa Gorg’s possessions flew through the air landing in the garden.

"Aw, but dumplin’ lips, I didn’t mean it!"

"Didn’t mean what Pa? That I could have broken the chair even if the legs were glued on? Or that I could scare the fuz off a Fraggle?"

"Neither!"

Junior shook his head. "It’s happenin’ again, Geraldine," Junior said to a very large radish planted in the ground beneath him. "They’ll awgue, they’ll make up, then I’ll have to clean up this mess!"

Pa came scrambling out of the house clutching the back of his head with his hands. "Junior, go out to the tool shed and fetch my war helmet!" A framed painting whizzed past Pa’s head. "Ya may wanna grab one for yourself too boy!"

Junior grumbled and hoisted himself up off the ground. "But Pa I’ve got other chowes to do!"

"And still no sign of Gobo either," Doc said, eyeing the hole in the wall that he knew led down to Fraggle Rock. "He’s probably busy," Doc said. "I’m sure he’ll show up some time today."

Sprocket yawned, fiddling around with his empty food bowl.

"Hungry again Sprocket?" Doc asked. "I just fed you, boy, and you haven’t done anything at all today. The paper still hasn’t been fetched."

Sprocket rolled his eyes at the rebirth of a seemingly dead argument.

"Now, don’t roll your eyes at me, Sprocket," Doc said. "You and I both know that you’ve been laying in your doggy bed there all day long."

Sprocket shot his head up and barked, pointing at the mail slot on the door with his paw.

"Oh, yes, I’m sorry," Doc said. "You stood peering out the mail slot for two minutes. How bold of you Sprockey." Doc grabbed his hat off his desk and opened the door. "I’ll be over at Ned’s if you need me– and try and get something done, will you?"

Doc closed the door behind him and Sprocket grumbled, closing his eyes for a little nap.